Bronze and marble soldiers are being toppled across eastern Europe.

[Stan]

Nationalists are exploiting history as discontent grows. Across eastern Europe, memorials to those who died fighting the Nazis are being dismantled and the far right rehabilitated.

Gyula Hegyi
Wednesday April 11, 2007
The Guardian

Across central and eastern Europe, nationalists are exploiting the painful history of the second world war to whip up anti-Russian feeling and rehabilitate the far right as social and economic discontent grows - and the process is mirrored in Russia. The latest in a string of such moves is the decision by the Polish authorities to block the reopening of the permanent Russian exhibition at the site of the Auschwitz death camp because of its description of some of its victims (from annexed pre-war Polish territory) as Soviet citizens. It's difficult to imagine a more sad and cynical debate than one about the citizenship of the massacred millions. Most were of course Jewish, and in the eyes of the Nazis both Poles and Russians were regarded as Untermenschen.

The Polish decision comes after Estonian MPs decided to remove a Soviet war memorial from the centre of Tallinn a few weeks back. The act authorising its removal is the Law on Forbidden Structures Act, a rather Orwellian name for a new cold war against history. The "forbidden structure" in this case is a 2m bronze statue of a Soviet soldier erected in 1947 to commemorate Red Army soldiers killed fighting the Nazis.

Bronze and marble soldiers are being toppled across eastern Europe. The campaign began in 1989-91 with the withdrawal of Soviet troops: Soviet memorials were demolished, Russian-sounding names of streets and squares changed, and red stars from walls cast away. In some countries, the tensions calmed after the turbulent transition period, but in the Baltic republics this anti-historical cold war seems to be a permanent crusade.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...054299,00.html

[Sarajevo071]

Seams to me, they need to switch to other, much more cooler heroes…

Bosnia unveils Bruce Lee bronze

A bronze of martial arts legend Bruce Lee has been erected in the Bosnian city of Mostar - a day before a second statue of him is unveiled in Hong Kong.

The life-size 1.68 metre statue depicts the Chinese-American actor in a typical defensive fighting position.
…

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4474316.stm

[Stan]

Hey Sarajevo !
Now that's really interesting. I just sent the article around to friends at the Tallinn Mayor's Office

I kinda like Sylvester Stallon

Lee was chosen by organisers as a symbol of the fight against ethnic divisions.

[Sarajevo071]

Hey Sarajevo !
Now that's really interesting. I just sent the article around to friends at the Tallinn Mayor's Office

I kinda like Sylvester Stallon

Rambo/Rocky was my hero too.

BTW, when I was reading that "My Jihad" book, Aukai Collins was talking about Chechen fighters siding around fire and talking about Van Dam!? But all of them agree that Bruce will kick Van Dam's ass any time of the day! They all liked martial arts and Bruce Lee, and kinda day dream to have him with them in Chechnya fighting Russians.

[RTK]

When I was growing up in Seattle I used to go to the cemetary in the Capital Hill area where Bruce Lee is buried for some extra karma before a big game. The dichotomy of personality you found there (martial arts experts, those in touch with their Zen side, mixed with the goth kids who like to hang around Brandon Lee's grave for "The Crow" following) was relatively interesting.

[Sarajevo071]

Seams we are going to hijack this tread but I have to say this... I have guy in the office who actually went on 2 Bruce Lee seminars & sit close to him in after the training session. He said it was amazing being there and see him doing his thing!

[Stan]

I think we're still on the same subject. The Mayor's office liked the "Friday the 13th" suggestion, but I doubt we'll end up with Rocky here .

I like this quote, although I'm not sure where it originated:

"A positive attitude may not solve all the problems in your life, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. "

Seams we are going to hijack this tread but I have to say this... I have guy in the office who actually went on 2 Bruce Lee seminars & sit close to him in after the training session. He said it was amazing being there and see him doing his thing!